MANILA, Philippines - Rey Loreto, Edrin Dapudong and Denver Cuello, as expected, hurdled their respective bouts Saturday night at the Almendras Gym in Davao City.
But the three Filipino boxers made sure that the “Clash of Little Titans” card put up by Sonshine Sports Management was a loaded and action-packed affair.
Before his cheering fans, Loreto stopped Indonesian Heri Amol in the seventh round to retain his International Boxing Organization junior flyweight crown.
It was a highly anticipated return for Loreto in the same gymnasium where he used to appear for four-round bouts. He’s looking forward to the bigger match up ahead.
The 23-year-old Loreto will fly to South Africa in December for a rematch with local boy Nkosinathi Joyi, whom he knocked out and dethroned last February.
Sonshine Sports Management point man Manny Piñol said Loreto is determined to prove that his smashing win over the South African was no fluke.
Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, the brains behind Sonshine Sports, has ventured into sports, and for starters is committed to support boxing, golf, volleyball, motocross and drag racing.
Quiboloy is putting up a massive worship venue in Davao City, the 75,000-seat King Dome, which he also hopes could host big sports events like PBA games and a Manny Pacquiao fight by 2016.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte came to support the boxing card.
In the other main bouts, former IBO super-flyweight champion Edrin Dapudong looked so impressive in scoring a fifth-round stoppage of Thailand’s Wisanlek Sithsaithong.
Denver Cuello, on a hot comeback trail following a shoulder injury that kept him off the ring for a year, sent another Thai fighter, Jaipetch Chaiyongym, down and out in the seventh.
Adding up to all the excitement were the 19-year-old Bornea twins, Jake and Jade, who pulled off exciting victories over their respective foes.